Windows 10: Drive confusion on Windows 10

Hi all--I'm new to Windows 10, and hoping you can help me.

I have a refurbished Dell Precision m4800 running Win 10 Pro. It came with two drives: an SSD and a DVD drive. Last night, I installed an internal mSata drive as well. Using Disk Management, I kept the SSD as C, made the mSata drive D, and changed the DVD drive to E.

Everything was fine until I put a Sandisk USB drive in. The last time I'd used a USB drive in this laptop, Windows had decided it would be Drive E. Because that letter was now taken by the DVD drive, my *expectation* was that Windows would make the Sandisk Drive F.

Instead, Windows made the *Sandisk* Drive E and made the DVD drive disappear. It did not appear under My PC or Disk Management. I could only see the drive if I went to Device Manager, and Windows told that the hardware could not start due to corruption in the registry.

After several panicked hours, I deleted the Upper Filters for the DVD drive in the registry, and that brought things back to the way they were (C drive SSD, D drive mSata, E drive DVD), but I am positive this will happen again the next time I plug a USB drive in. What can I do to make sure it doesn't?

I don't care what letter any specific thing is--I just want all my drives to stay where they are!

Appreciate any assistance!

- - - Updated - - -

(I have done some reading, and it sounds like this issue is due to a Windows 1903 bug. But surely I can't just avoid plugging in an external drive for the next several weeks or months unt Microsoft fixes it?)

:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Is it time for Windows 10 already?

Here's a good step by step guide on doing a fresh install.

How to clean install Windows 10 from a USB drive - Software - Feature - HEXUS.net

 

Hard drive/ OS issue

a guy suggested :

• shutdown
• unhooked HDD
• restarted
• yay !!
• reconnected HDD
• restarted
• yay !!

also , try method 3
How do I unlock the drive where Windows 10 is installed?